Karl’s Labor's Lost - edit2

[dukealien]

I like the concept. It’s an interesting idea and well put
My suggestion would be to make it less didactic.
Both “overthrow” and “expired” are too much authorial intrusion

Good suggestions. I'll try "retired" in place of "expired" and seek a neutral replacement for "overthrow." "Demise" in the title should also be altered, then? Something like "Karl's Labor Lost?"

BTW, I really wanted "petroleum" in there somewhere - what a galumphing word! - but couldn't fit it into the meter. "Proletariat" would take up most of a line (g).